A combined 23 horses have been entered in Sunday’s stakes twin bill for sophomores at Emerald Downs. The $50,000 Seattle Slew Stakes drew a full field of 12 3-year-old colts and geldings and the $50,000 Irish Day Stakes drew a field of 11 3-year-old fillies.
Both race are 1 1/16 miles and represent the final stops before the Muckleshoot Derby and Washington Oaks in four weeks.
With neither Baja Sur nor Runningwscissors running Sunday, the Seattle Slew becomes a wide open affair. Perfect Dude, third in both the Auburn Stakes and Coca-Cola Stakes, is a logical favorite but must overcome the No. 12 post-position on Sunday. Rapidly-improving Sky Confidential, impressive winner of two straight sprints, is a top contender and acts as though extra distance won’t be an issue.
Mucho Amor and Alittlelesstalk have traded decision in the Seattle Stakes and Kent Stakes with the Irish Day determining who is better around two turns. Contention runs deep, however, as Northwest Factor captured last year’s Gottstein Futurity at 1 1/16 miles, while Canadian shipper Above All Names broke her maiden around two turns on Woodbine’s synthetic Tapeta surface and also captured an allowance test on the Woodbine turf.
The Irish Day Stakes is Race 6, 4:38 p.m. The Seattle Slew Stakes is Race 8, 5:39 p.m.
MUCKLESHOOT DERBY SERIES
May 19: $50,000 Auburn Stakes, Baja Sur ($3.80) 6 furlongs, 1:07.98
June 16: $50,000 Coca-Cola Stakes, Baja Sur ($2.60) 6½ furlongs, 1:15.60
July 14: $50,000 Seattle Slew Stakes, 1 1/16 Mile
Aug 11: $50,000 Muckleshoot Derby, 1 1/8 Mile
WASHINGTON OAKS SERIES
May 12: $50,000 Seattle Stakes, Mucho Amor ($3.80), 6 furlongs, 1:09.76
June 9: $50,000 Kent Stakes, Alittlelesstalk ($24.80) 6½ furlongs, 1:15.33
July 14: $50,000 Irish Day Stakes, 1 1/16 Mile
Aug 11: $50,000 Washington Oaks, 1 1/8 Mile
The field for the $50,000 Seattle Slew Stakes, 3-year-old colts & geldings, 1 1/16 Miles:1-Time ‘n Time Again, Juan Gutierrez, 117 pounds; 2-Devil Dog, Lorenzo Lopez, 117; 3-Makah Lane, Eddie Martinez, 117; 4-Rocket Power, Franklin Ceballos, 117; 5-Sky Confidential, Javier Matias, 117; 6-Free Speech, Gary Wales, 117; 7-El Borracho, Julie Couton, 117; 8-Fuzzy Dolphin, Jose Zunino, 119; 9-Frolic and Detour, Ryan Barber, 117; 10-Rally Cat, Juan Hernandez, 117; 11-My Grandpa, Jorge Carreno, 117; 12-Perfect Dude, Kevin Orozco, 117.
The field for the $50,000 Irish Day Stakes, 3-year-old fillies, 1 1/16 Miles: 1-Lady Campbell, Ryan Barber, 116 pounds; 2-Above All Names, Gary Wales, 122; 3-Mucho Amor, Juan Hernandez, 122; 4-Northwest Factor, Julien Couton, 118; 5-Lasting Light, Javier Matias, 116; 6- Senoradiablo, Eddie Martinez, 118; 7-If You Want It, Patrick Henry Jr., 116; 8-La Principessa, Jose Zunino, 116; 9-Alittlelesstalk, Lorenzo Lopez, 122; 10-Someday Special, Franklin Ceballos, 11-Twirling Devon, Kevin Orozco, 116.
RACING THIS WEEK
• Friday, July 12 (Day 35/67-race date meet)
6:30 p.m. (7 races)
Fab Friday
Equine Art Show
• Saturday, July 13 (36/67)
5 p.m. (8 races)
British Night
Equine Art Show
• Sunday, July 14 (37/67)
2 p.m. (9 races)
$50,000 Seattle Slew Stakes (3YO, 1 1/16M)
$50,000 Irish Day Stakes (3YOF, 1 1/16M)
Irish Day
Equine Art Show
Notes
Bidding for his meet-high fourth win, He’s Not Grey is the 1-to-5 morning line favorite in Friday’s $13,600 feature race for 3-year-olds and up at six furlongs. … Owner John Parker has three horses going for their fourth win of the meet in the next few days: He’s Not Grey, Flatter Cat and Rosso’s Gatto, the latter two are entered Saturday. … Northern California fair racing moves to Sacramento beginning Friday and running through July 28, followed by Santa Rosa from Aug. 1 to 18.
